


cut me loose

by withoutwords



Category: EastEnders (TV)
Genre: Coda, Kisses, M/M, morning fluff, talking about feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-26
Updated: 2019-10-26
Packaged: 2021-01-03 14:01:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 910
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21180611
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/withoutwords/pseuds/withoutwords
Summary: "Cheater. You brushed ya teeth."





	cut me loose

**Author's Note:**

> for the incomparable benthighway/robbosugden who requested a follow up from last night's beautiful last scenes. hope you enjoy it x

Ben wakes up feeling sore and satisfied. It takes him a moment to remember he’d stayed at Callum’s, stretching and rolling over to see Callum sitting up in bed. Ben just watches him a while, the little curve of a smile at the corner of his mouth as he reads over something in his hand.

“What’s that?” Ben asks sleepily, laughing when Callum jumps.

“Bloody hell.”

“Sorry,” he says, not really meaning it. He doesn’t miss the way Callum quickly folds up the paper and tucks it away somewhere hidden. 

“Didn’t realise you was awake.” Callum leans over to give Ben a kiss, smelling and tasting suspiciously of mint toothpaste. Ben wraps an arm around his neck to pull him down on top of him, pushing off the sheets so he can wrap his legs around Callum too.

“Cheater. You brushed ya teeth.”

“Not my fault y'lazy,” Callum teases, Ben nudging at his side in protest. He’s wearing boxers and a tee, as well, despite the fact Ben had him thoroughly naked the night before - and Ben tries not to take it too hard. He fails.

“Brushing ya teeth, putting on clothes. Are you planning on kicking me out?”

“As if. Just couldn’t sleep.”

Ben pushes the hair back from Callum’s face. “It got anything to do with that letter you’re trying to hide from me?”

The happy look on Callum’s face shutters, and Ben can tell he’s said the wrong thing. Again. He’s always been the best at shooting himself in the foot - and Callum seems to bring out the worst in him. 

“I ain’t hiding it.”

“Okay,” Ben says, not wanting to make things worse. They’d had an amazing night - one of many they’d spent together now - and Ben doesn’t want to ruin it over something so trivial. He was keeping Callum out of his business, he couldn’t expect to be kept in all of Callum’s.

“It’s from Chris. You know, the one I told you about.”

Ben feels his stomach drop. Of all the things to quiz Callum about it had to be that.  _ Idiot _ . “Oh, yeah. Right. He sent you letters?”

“Nah, nah, he sent letters to his sister. But she gave ‘em to me. Said I should have ‘em ‘cause they were … well he said a lot of stuff about me.”

“About his feelings for you?” Ben asks, still playing at Callum’s hair, running fingers over the lines of his ears and stubbly chin. It’s a shame Callum never got to have this with Chris - a shame they never had it together.

“Yeah, I guess.”

“That’s lovely.”

“And what about you,” Callum asks, moving so that he’s propped on just one elbow at Ben’s side, keeping a leg kicked over him. “You and Paul? Ever exchange love notes?”

Ben huffs. “Little ones, I guess. Mostly love texts.”

Callum grins. “Nice. I s’pose it’s weird being back in here like this?”

“I thought it might be,” Ben tells him honestly. He’s glad Callum won back the big bedroom - being in Paul’s old one may have been where he drew the line. “But you and me - it’s a lot different than what I had with Paul. I don’t wanna keep comparing it or nothing.”

“But you will,” Callum says with a shrug. “It’s fine.”

“You think.”

“Yeah. It’s kinda why I wasn’t sleeping, you know. And reading those letters. All this stuff was going through my mind about that video, and Whit, and Chris - about who I used to be and how long it took me to get here. I just - I wish-”

“Don’t, don’t do that to yaself, Callum.”

“I can’t help it. I mean, something new has started, sure, but that was still my life once. It was still me making those choices.”

Ben turns to face him, grabbing at the front of his t-shirt to anchor himself. Give Callum a little shake. “It don’t matter. Not to me, or the people who care about you. Not to Whit, either, once she’s had some time to think. We know you, Callum Highway, and that ain’t it.”

Callum kisses him again, all minty and stubbly and smiling against Ben’s skin. Ben wraps his arms around him, and tries not to notice how his heart seems to push hard against his chest. He knew from the start this whole thing was going to be different - but he’s starting to realise just how much.

“Thank you,” Callum whispers into the curve of Ben’s neck. “You’re amazing. I don’t know how I would’ve got through this without ya.”

“You’d still be married,” Ben says, and there he goes again, mouthing off. Luckily Callum just makes an amused sound of protest and pushes Ben onto his back and holds him down by the shoulders.

“Maybe I will kick you out,” he threatens, his face in low and close. Ben still has a hold of his shirt, a leg around his back and a heel dug deep into his skin - they both know he’s not going anywhere.

“Sure,” Ben says teasingly, pulling him down for a too-quick kiss. “I'll just go get dressed then.”

“Okay,” Callum replies, stealing another kiss.

“Wouldn't wanna out stay my welcome."

"Definitely not. You should go."

"I'm going," Ben tells him, moaning as Callum moves his mouth to the hollow of his throat. "Right now."

"Good. Bye." Callum says, and laughs, and starts kissing his way down Ben's body instead.

Yeah. Ben's definitely not going anywhere.  
  


**Author's Note:**

> thefancyspin.tumblr.com


End file.
